Disneyland is a fan favorite and a special place for all ages around the world. Disneyland is one of the most consistently populated amusement parks in the world and is located in Anaheim, California. This amusement park features characters and rides that are mainly based on creations from Walt Disney and the Disney Company. Through their main building, the Sleeping Beauty Castle, modeled on Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle, it is an unmistakable icon of American pop culture. This park is one of the most Disney-themed parks designed under the supervision of Walt Disney.
As early as the 1940s, the Disney company started to plan themed experiences to complement their Burbank film studio. It was a backlot tour that would include a train through a “village” set, and the experiences of the theme park would cater to little kids and adults. In 1952, Disney was forming WED Enterprises, a corporate entity created to originally plan and build the amusement park on the studio grounds. After a while, he ended up choosing a plot in Anaheim, California. Closer to Los Angeles for the park instead, which turned out to largely result from the hostility of Burbank officials towards the studio project. This much larger plot allowed Disney to represent and reconceptualize his park into the public “giant movie set” that would end up becoming Disneyland.
Financing the endeavour proved difficult, but Disney was able to secure a significant portion of the funding from the American Broadcasting Company (ABC); ABC received in return rights to be able to produce and show a weekly Disney television program. Along with a good share of profit from the park, the construction officially began July 21st 1954 and was finished by July 17th, 1955.
Disney’s disposition towards the nostalgic sentiment and the fantasy is evident in the park’s design and construction. The themed areas based and opened in Disneyland were on Main Street, USA, evoking a Midwestern American town in the 20th century and modeled as Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri. Fantasyland was based partly on stories from Disney animated features; Adventureland, a jungle-themed area; Frontierland, featuring the Mark Twain River boat; and Tomorrowland, an optimistic vision of the future. More additions were New Orleans Square, based on the southern U.S. city of New Orleans; Bear Country, later renamed Critter Country, featuring the Country Bear Jamboree and then the Splash Mountain ride; and Mickey’s Toontown. This is a colorful world modeled after cartoon animation. A short-lived Holidayland existed from 1957 to 1961. The Anaheim property also holds a sister park, Disney’s California Adventure, which opened in 2001. This is a separate area for shopping, dining, and entertainment called the Downtown Disney District.
Disneyland became a mecca for tourists from around the world. When the turn of the 21st century came around, there were almost more than 14 million visitors visiting the park annually.
